VORTEX-CHARGED CRYSTALS
Charged by the Vortex: How Pine & Pear Apothecary Crystals Absorbed the Energy of Sedona’s Bell Rock
If you’ve ever stood in front of Sedona’s red rocks, you know there’s something about that landscape that almost hums. The air feels alive. The colors hit deeper. The land feels older than memory.
This past October, I returned to Sedona with two clear purposes: to charge every crystal that would go into Pine & Pear Apothecary's essential oil blends for the next few months at the Bell Rock Vortex and to obtain my Reiki certification. My Reiki experience was so amazing that it deserves its own post. The story I’m about to tell is equally as wonderful: the story of how my crystals were charged with the good vibes of Bell Rock.
Bell Rock is one of the most iconic and powerful vortex sites in Sedona, Arizona. Renowned for its majestic bell-shaped formation, this site draws visitors from around the world seeking spiritual enrichment, physical rejuvenation, and a deep connection to the Earth’s energy.
For those of you who are unfamiliar, a vortex is believed to be a place where the Earth’s energy spirals in a concentrated, intensified way. Some describe it like standing in a place where the atmosphere thins — not physically, but spiritually. Emotionally. Energetically.
Bell Rock is known as an “upflow” vortex, which means the energy is uplifting, clarifying, and activating. The Bell Rock Vortex is primarily associated with masculine energy. It's often described as dynamic, active, and empowering, and is known to enhance qualities such as self-confidence, assertiveness, and personal strength.
People come here to:
• Gain clarity
• Spark creativity
• Release heavy emotions
• Reconnect with intuition
• Refresh their sense of purpose
The day I hiked Bell Rock, deep clouds and misty rain competed with the unmistakable Sedona glow of the red rocks. The giant rocks were touched by the occasional pockets of light, but for the most part, the weather was a bit dreary. I didn’t know if I was entering the best trailhead for the four-mile hike, and to make matters worse, I had to pee (the bathroom was being serviced). I was wearing a backpack heavy with amethyst, citrine, clear quartz, obsidian, rose quartz, and more, and a dorky vlogging camera attached to my ballcap. That said, aside from the bathroom situation, I was still excited and loving the adventure.
Not even 20 minutes into my hike, the clouds parted, and a rainbow spilled directly down into the red rock ahead of me.
It didn’t just arc in the sky — it literally landed on the land, in a way I’ve never seen before.
A few minutes later, it became a double rainbow, and the entire desert felt like it exhaled, and I knew it was the perfect time to charge my crystals. I was admiring a twisted Joshua tree just before I noticed the rainbow, so that is where I chose to charge my crystals. These are the gemstones you’ll now find in your Pine & Pear Apothecary essential oil blends.
Here are the simple steps to charging crystals at an Arizona vortex, according to Visit Arizona:
Find a quiet spot where you can feel the vortex energy.
Hold your crystal in your hands and close your eyes.
Visualize the energy of the vortex flowing into your crystal, filling it with vibrant, positive energy.
Spend a few moments in silent meditation, setting your intentions and allowing the crystal to absorb the potent energy.
Keep the charged crystal close to you to carry the rejuvenating energy of the vortex.
These steps can help you harness the energy of the vortex and enhance the healing properties of your crystals. Remember to follow the guidelines provided by the Vortex site to ensure a safe and respectful experience.
The Twisted Trees:
One of my favorite photos from the trip is the twisted, spiraling tree leaning toward Bell Rock like it’s reaching for something only it can feel. It’s currently my screensaver on just about everything. These twisted trees make me feel connected to my higher power, which tends to speak to me through fascinating, beautiful nature.
Sedona trees often twist like this naturally, but locals say it’s because the vortex energy moves upward in a spiral — and the trees grow in harmony with it.
Standing next to that tree with a bowl full of crystals felt symbolic: nature reaching toward energy, and me doing the same.
The crystals that I charged:
These are the gemstones now infused with Bell Rock energy:
• Amethyst
• Citrine
• Rose Quartz
• White Quartz
• Obsidian
• Tiger’s Eye
• Agates
A fun fact about the current carrier oil I’m obsessed with (hint: Pine & Pear Apothecary’s essential oil blends now have even more of Sedona in every bottle).
All Pine & Pear Apothecary blends made between October and December, 2025 (except for a few specialty lines, such as “Spellbound”) have been crafted using prickly pear seed carrier oil — the same cactus fruit that grows all across Sedona’s red desert. It’s a nourishing, antioxidant-rich oil traditionally used for hydration and skin repair, but for me, it carries something more:
• The softness of desert mornings
• The resilience of the cactus
• The grounding, rooted energy of Arizonan earth
Pairing prickly pear oil with crystals charged on Bell Rock means every bottle is infused with Sedona from two directions: from the inside out (the oil) and from the outside in (the crystals).
Why I charge them by hand, on the land:
I’m a big believer that intention shapes energy. And energy shapes experience. By charging each stone personally on the red rock, under that swirling desert sky, the crystals absorbed:
• Freshly charged desert air
• Soft October sunlight
• The double rainbow that appeared at the exact moment of intention-setting
• The grounding of Bell Rock
• My own Reiki-infused intention
What this means for your oils:
When these crystals meet the essential oils in your bottle, the blend becomes more than aromatherapy:
• A moment from Sedona
• A piece of red rock energy
• A reminder to breathe deeper
• A grounding anchor
• A ritual you can carry with you
A final thought from the trail:
As the sun set that evening, I stood next to the BOHO van with the cliffs glowing orange behind me. It felt like the land was saying, “You are exactly where you are supposed to be, and you are doing exactly what you’re meant to do.”
And I carried that feeling — along with those charged crystals — all the way back to Minnesota. Your blend carries it too.